buckelew



Feb. 2, 1960 R. BUCKELEW ELECTRICAL SWIVEL CONNECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June '7, 1956 INVENTOR.

W M m w B R e C n e r W 0 L ELECTRICAL SWIVEL CONNECTOR Lawrence R. Buckelew, Roanoke, Va., assignor of fortynine percent to Evelyn J. Buckelew, Roanoke, Va.

Application June 7, 1956, Serial No. 590,056

3 Claims. (Cl. 339-8) This invention relates to connectors and particularly to swivel connectors which are adapted to releasably join the ends of electric wires.

An object of the present invention is to provide a swivel connector which is constructed in accordance with the load which it is to carry and in accordance with the use to which it is placed, for electric razors, clippers and low wattage appliances or instruments, the connector will be made small and lightweight, or for larger appliances such as electric irons, hand drills and others, it will be made to carry the heavier loads as required by the safety regulations of the various areas in the country.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a swivel connector of improved construction which includes a casing of insulating material having a plug and a socket mounted for free rotation in it, each being detachable and each having wires protruding from the ends thereof, there being any number of such wires depending, again, upon the use to which the connector is placed, and there being improved means both mounting the plug and socket for rotation in the casing and for interconnecting the two to establish conductive paths for the wires.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a practical device of this nature which will be able to be used in connection with any type of appliance, device or attachment where there is need for swivel movement in the electric wire.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of the connector that has been made in accordance with the principles of the invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the socket part of the connector of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of another form of the invention wherein three wires are being handled instead of only two as shown in Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 7;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the plug which constitutes part of the embodiment of Figure 7; and

Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing a modified means to connect the plug and socket States Patent 0 ice in the embodiment of Figure 7 or in the embodiment of Figure 2.

In practicing the invention there is constructed a swivel connector 10 which is designed to be used with two wires, for example the white and black wires 12 and 13, as coated for electricians. Connector 10 comprises an electrically insulating housing 14 having open ends 16 and 18 respectively. Although the housing is shown as being generally tubular with the neck down center part 20, other configurations may be resorted to as found desirable. The housing may be made of plastic, Bakelite or other common insulators that are suitable for the purpose. Plugs 22 and 24 having notches 26 for a spanner wrench, are provided with threaded skirts 28 and 29 that are threaded into the open ends 16 and 18 of the casing 14. Anti-friction bearings 30 and 32 are fixed in the plugs 22 and 24 in order to mount the electrical plug 36 and the electrical socket 38 for rotation in the casing 14.

Electrical plug 36 is made of an electrically insulating body 40 that has Wires 12a and 13a embedded therein, the latter being adapted by means of the connector 10 to be arranged for electrical conductivity with the previously mentioned wires 12 and 13. An electrically conductive member 42 is fitted in a recess 44 at the inner end of body 40. An elongated prong 46 proceeds from the inner end of member 42 and is adapted to fit inrecess 48 that is formed in a corresponding electrically conductive member 50 in body 52 of electrical socket 38. Wire 13a is fitted in the opening 56 in the outer end of 'a body 40, as is wire 12a. The wire 13a is united to conductive member 42 while wire 12a proceeds laterally through the side of body 40 and is connected by means of screw 58 to an electrically conductive band 60 that extends around the body 40.

Electrical socket 38 has an opening 62 in its outer end in which the insulated wires 12 and 13 aredisposed. Black wire 13 is united to the conductive member 50, while white wire 12 proceeds through the side of body 52 and is attached by means of screw 64 to the circular band 66 on the exterior surface of body 52.

When the electrical socket is screwed in the casing and the electrical plug 36 is also inserted in the casing. the prong 46 is fitted into the rece s 48 thereby establising an electric circuit path between wires 13 and 13a through the prong 46 and the conductive members 42 and 50. A spring 68 is concentrically disposed on prong 46 and bears against a washer 70 that is also on the prong 46. This washer seats on conductive member 42. The opposite end of the spring 68 seats on a washer 71 which is slidably mounted on prong 46 but cannot escape therefrom due to a depression or barb that is provided on the end of the prong 46. Accordingly, the spring 68 applies a bias onto the bodies of the electrical plug and the electrical socket tending to spread them slightly and assuring a circuit path between the wires 13 and 13a.

In order to interconnect wires 12 and 12a there are two conductive strips 74 and 76 respectively, the strips being attached onto the inner surfaces of the casing 14, as by insulating rivets 78 or by other equivalent means. The strip 74 has two brush holders 80 and 81 near the opposite ends thereof, the brush holders being of the type which provide a spring bias onto the brushes so that they seat firmly on the bands 60 and 66 respectively. In order to assure electrical conductivity between the bands and hence between wires 12 and 12a, the strip 78 has brush holders 84 and 85 which support brushes in contact with bands 60 and 66. Insulating plugs are threaded in openings in the casing 14 in order to adjust the spring load on the brushes of the brush holders.

Attention is now invited to Figure 11 where a modification is illustrated. Here, electrical plug 90 has its body formed with a peripheral groove 91 in which enlargements 92 and 93 are mounted. The enlargements are at the ends of resilient arms 94 and 95, the latter proceeding from a band 96 of conductive material that is on the body of electrical socket 97. All other structure of this embodiment is the same as that described in connection with Figure 2. Accordingly, the electrical plug and the electrical socket 90 and 97 respectively are connected together by means of the arms 94 and 95 which es tablish a circuit path between wire 12 and wire 1212, these wires being secured by means of screws 98 and 99 to the bands 96 and 1&2 respectively, the latter having groove 91 in it and being of conductive material.

Attention is now invited to Figures 6-10 inclusive. Instead of two wires, this embodiment shows that the invention may be practiced with three or more electrically conductive wires being joined to establish circuit connections therebetween. The connector consists of a casing 12% having open ends in which there are plugs 122 and 124 that support anti-friction bearings 126 and 128 respectively, the latter bearings being identical to the bearings 22 and 24. The electrical plug 130 is operatively connected with the electrical socket 132 by means of prong 13%, all of this structure and that particularly associated with the prong 134, including spring 136 being the same as the corresponding structure of Figure 2. The plug 13%) has a collar 140 at its outer end on which the inner race of the anti-friction bearing: 126 is mounted. Similar collar 142 is on the outer end of socket 132 and is associated with the anti-friction bearing 128 in a like manner. Identical collars for the anti-friction bearings 122 and 124 are connected to the electrical plug and the electrical socket of Figure 2.

In the embodiment of Figure 7 the black wire 144 is joined for electrical conductivity with black wire 144a through the prong 134 and its associated structure. White wire 146 is connected for electrical conductivity with white wire 1460 by means of bands 147 and 148 that are intercommunicated by means of brush holders 149 and 150 and a bus or conductive strip 152 that is secured to the inside of casing 120. A duplicate set of brushes 154 and conductive strip 156 is used as in the case of Figure 2. Finally, the red wires 160 and 160a are intercommunicated by bands 161 and 162 of conductive material which are respectively on the bodies of the plug 130 and socket 132. Conductive strip 166 having brush holders 168 and 169, and secured to the casing 120, are used for establishing a flow path for current between wires 160 and 160a. A duplicate strip 170 having a pair of '4 spaced brush holders 172 is arranged in the casing in order to assure proper conductivity.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An electrical swivel connector comprising a casing having open ends, bearings in said open ends, an insulating material plug and an insulating material socket disposed in said housing, said plug and socket having reduced ends rotatively mounted in said bearings so that both said plug and socket are rotatable with respect to each other and with respect to said casing, a first pair of conductors carried by said plug and socket, conductive swivel means at the adjacent ends of said plug and socket and on the axis of rotation of said plug and socket, said swivel means comprising a prong on said plug and a recess in said socket receiving said prong, resilient means interposed between the adjacent ends of said plug and socket to bias said plug and socket in an axial direction, a second pair of conductors connected with said plug and socket, sliding means for connecting the adjacent ends of said second pair of conductors and including slip rings secured to said plug and socket, a conductive strip secured to said casing on the interior thereof, and a pair of brushes engaging said slip rings and secured to said strip.

2. The swivel connector of claim 1 wherein said casing is made of electrically insulating substance, and there is a second strip and a second pair of brushes bridging said slip rings.

3. The swivel connector of claim 1 wherein said plug and sockethave outer side surfaces spaced from the inner surface of said casing and said slip rings are disposed on said outer side surfaces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,064,585 Atienza Dec. 15, 1936 2,715,713 Seim Aug. 16, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 453,360 Great Britain Sept. 9, 1936 

